


An Insane World

by NATFreak



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Action, Drama, F/M, Horror, Romance, Survival, Violence, supernatual - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-03-02 20:16:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13325694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NATFreak/pseuds/NATFreak
Summary: Samantha O'Hara finds herself in a world run by the dead who refuse to die unless you pierce their brains. After fleeing from her hometown of Savannah, Georgia she comes across two brothers and a group of survivors from Atlanta. The former bank teller strives to do everything in her power to survive this insane world and protect those she has come to care about. R&R!





	1. Waking Nightmare

Disclaimer: I do not own _The Walking Dead_. I do own my OC.

 

**A/N: Welcome to the first chapter of my first ever full-length Walking Dead fanfiction in which I follow the show from the point of view of my OC who I hope you like. So without further ado, here goes. Enjoy!**

You would never have thought the world was going to end the way the day began. My alarm went off at 6:45 AM. I reached over to turn it off before getting up and heading to the bathroom to take a shower (if I had known it was going to be my last one I would have spent more than my usual ten minutes and shaved my legs one final time). Then I made breakfast and set out on my daily commute to work at a bank as one of its many tellers.

 

At first it was like every other shift as I helped client after client sort out their financial problems that is until the screaming started and people were running up and down the street outside as the military strived to restore some sense of normalcy.

 

“What the hell is going on out there?” I murmured right before a horde of people broke through the front doors of the bank except there was something different about them. Their eyes bulged from their sockets and their skins were sagging. They were also making a horrible growling sound and moved with a single mindedness that sent a chill down my spine.

 

“We have to get out of here,” I told the woman I had been speaking to just as one of the creatures grabbed her and tore into her cheek with its teeth, ripping away the flesh. The woman screamed in agony as blood flew everywhere. To this day I have never forgotten that bloodcurdling wail nor the fear which gripped me tightly as I fled the bank and got out of the city as fast as I could.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

Eventually I ended up in the woods outside of Savana, Georgia tired and unsure of what to do next. That’s when they happened upon me: the Dixon brothers.

 

“Well, well, what do we have here?” mused Merle, the older of the two. He had a shaved head and sneered at me, flashing his yellow teeth. “Looks to me like a pretty little mouse scurried out of the hell hole that used to be her hometown with nowhere to go. Bet ya can’t even properly defend yerself, neither. Maybe we can come to some sort of arrangement, huh? Me and my baby brother here can keep ya safe and ya can keep me warm at night. What do ya say, red?”

 

“Leave her alone, Merle,” muttered the younger brother, Daryl. He had short dark hair, blue eyes, and a crossbow slung over one shoulder. “Can’t ya see she’s terrified?”

 

“Well, of course she is,” replied Merle. “The world’s gone to shit and now the dead roam these parts lookin’ for people to snack on.”

 

“‘The dead’?” I repeated.

 

“That’s right, girly,” said Merle. “See, when people die they don’t stay dead no more. Now for some reason they come back to life and nibble on yer flesh.”

 

I repressed a shiver. “There have to be other survivors out here though, right?”

 

“Probably,” agreed Merle.

 

“Well then, thanks for your offer but I’m going to go find a group,” I told them as I started to walk away. “Safety in numbers and all that.”

 

“What a coincidence,” noted Merle. “We were thinkin’ the same thing so it looks like yer stuck with us. ‘Safety in numbers and all that’.”

 

I sighed inwardly. Merle was clearly a sexist pig but he was still right. If I wanted to survive, I needed to tag along with them until we located more people.

 

I stopped and turned around to face them causing Merle to grin. “Glad ya see things our way. So what’s your name, beautiful?”

 

“Samantha. My name’s Samantha O’Hara.”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

A few days later we came across a group of survivors who had banded together outside of Atlanta. To my surprise, it took no time at all for me to become a part of their daily routine as I was assigned to cooking and cleaning with the rest of the women.

 

“Looks like ya found a way ta fit in,” observed Daryl as he watched me clean some shirts the best I could. I was sitting on the side of a stream located near our camp and though we did not have any soap, I was making progress on the stained articles of clothing.

 

“Got to help out somehow, right?” I replied, glancing up at him. “I could wash your vest too if you want.”

 

“Naw, I like it this way,” he informed me.

 

“Why because it makes you look tough?” I teased, laughing as he grumbled something I could not understand. “So what’s the plan for today?”

 

“Gonna go huntin’,” Daryl said, slipping the strap of his bow onto his shoulder. “We’re startin’ to get low on food.”

 

“By yourself?” Normally Merle would go with him but his older brother had left with other members of our group to go on a run in the city. “Is that a good idea?”

 

“I’ll be fine,” he assured me but I still wasn’t convinced. Yes they had cleared the area of Walkers (the dead) but there could always be more out there.

 

“I can go with you,” I found myself saying.

 

Daryl quirked a dark eyebrow. “I don’t think yer ready for that. Ya’ve never even killed a walker and yer definitely no hunter.”

 

“You could teach me,” I pointed out. “Unless you think it’s too difficult for you.”

 

Daryl flushed slightly. “Fine but ya have ta listen ta everything I say. No arguin’.”

 

“Fine.” What have I gotten myself into?

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

“Now when ya track ya have ta be aware of everythin’,” said Daryl as we moved through the woods away from the only sense of civilization for miles around. “Ya use yer eyes ta notice tracks on the ground or a broken twig. Ya also use yer ears meanin’ ya have ta be quiet.”

 

“I know how to be quiet,” I shot back just as we heard rustling a few feet ahead of us.

 

“Get back,” ordered Daryl as he moved to stand in front of me.

 

“Walker?” I guessed. The archer nodded before knocking an arrow and aiming it at the corpse who lumbered into view. Its skin was slipping off its bone and it was missing an eye.

 

“Ya really wanna learn how to kill one of these bastards?” he asked me as he kept his gaze on the walker. Thankfully there was only one and it didn’t move very fast.

 

“I can’t let people keep risking their lives for me and not do the same for them in return,” I replied. “I want to help us survive in this world.”

 

“Alright then,” Daryl grunted. “When you’re up against these assholes the first thing ya should remember is not ta let them bite or scratch ya. The second thing is ta always aim for the brain, otherwise they’ll just continue ta come after yoa.”

 

To demonstrate, Daryl released his arrow which hit its target perfectly. When he went to retrieve it, however, another walker came up from behind him. The archer tried to swing around but by then it would have been too late so I did the only thing I could do. I grabbed the walker by the back of its shirt, kicked it behind the knees so it and I would be at the same height and drove the knife Daryl had given me into the back of its skull. The walker became motionless and I pushed it away before glancing at the blade which was now covered in blood and gore.

 

I felt numb all over and barely acknowledged Daryl laying his hand on the one that was still clenching the dagger.

 

“Sav…Savan…Savana,” he called, snapping me out of my trance.

 

“Oh my God,” I whispered. “Oh my God.”

 

“It’s okay, Savana,” Daryl murmured. “Just put the knife down.”

 

I did as he commanded. The archer pocketed the blade away before suddenly embracing me. It wouldn’t be until later that I realized I had been shaking and crying.

 

“It’s alright,” he soothed as I sobbed into his chest. “It’s alright.”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

“I’m okay. You can let go of me now,” I told him a few minutes later though what I really wanted was for him to never let go.

 

“Ya sure?” he asked, pulling away slightly to look at me.

 

I nodded. “Thank you but we still have a job to do, right?”

 

“Right,” agreed Daryl releasing his hold on me, his usual gruffness returning. “Let’s get goin’ then. Stay behind me, Savanna.”

 

“Samantha,” I corrected making him stare at me. “My name’s Samantha, remember?”

 

“I know what yer name is,” he grunted. “I just like callin’ ya Savanna, that’s all.”

 

“Wait, did Mr. Tough Guy just give me a nickname?” I wondered aloud causing him to grumble and stalk away. I smiled to myself and followed him.

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

We eventually came upon some deer tracks which we trailed back to our camp but before Daryl could shoot it, a walker came out and sunk its teeth into it.

 

“Son of a bitch!” muttered Daryl viciously as we pursued the walker out of the woods to our camp where the men were trying to bring it down without much success.

 

“Didn’t you say the only way to kill them was to get the brain?” I murmured to Daryl who nodded. “Maybe you should show them how it’s done.”

 

Daryl smirked slightly before striding up to the walker who had had its head detached by Dale and shot it in the eye. “That’s my deer! Look at it. All gnawed on by this…filthy, disease-bearing, motherless poxy bastard.”

 

“Calm down, son,” urged Dale as Daryl kicked the walker. “That’s not helping.”

 

“What do you know about it, old man?” Daryl shouted back. “Why don’t you take that stupid hat and go back to ‘golden pond’? We’ve been tracking this deer for miles. Gonna drag it back to camp, cook up some venison. What do you think? Do you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?”

 

“I wouldn’t,” I told him. “It’s too risky.”

 

Daryl sighed. “That’s a damn shame. We got some squirrels…about a dozen or so. That’ll have to do.”

 

We headed back to the camp site with our squirrels in tow.

 

“I was wondering where you went,” mused a familiar voice, Carol. “I should have known you went off with Daryl.”

 

I blushed. “I was just helping him hunt, that’s all.”

 

Meanwhile Daryl was yelling for his brother who was nowhere in sight. “Merle! Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel! Let’s stew ‘em up.”

 

“Daryl, just slow up a bit,” suggested Shane. “I need to talk to you.”

 

“About what?” demanded Daryl.

 

“About Merle,” the former cop replied. “There was a…there was a problem in Atlanta.”

 

“He dead?” the archer asked.

 

“We’re not sure,” admitted Shane.

 

“He either is or he ain’t!” shouted Daryl.

 

“No easy way to say this so I’ll just say this,” interjected a new voice belonging to a tall man wearing a sheriff deputy’s badge.

 

“Who are you?” inquired Daryl.

 

“Rick Grimes,” he told him.

 

Daryl sauntered up to him. “Rick Grimes, you got something you want to tell me?”

 

“Your brother was a danger to us all,” Rick began without preamble. “so I handcuffed on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He’s still there.”

 

“Hold on,” muttered Daryl. “Let me process this. You’re saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?!”

 

“Yeah,” Rick confirmed, pushing the archer aside as he lunged at him.

 

“Daryl, don’t!” I urged him as he pulled out a knife. I stood in front of Rick with my hands held out. “Please, Daryl.”

 

Daryl stopped in his tracks and lowered the knife. “Fine but only because it’s you, Savanna.”

 

“I’d like to have a calm discussion on this topic,” Rick told him. “Do you think we can manage that? I said, do you think you can manage it?”

 

“Yeah,” Daryl grumbled.

 

“What I did was not on a whim,” he revealed as I moved out of the way so the two men could look at each other fully. “Your brother does not work and play well with others.”

 

“It’s not Rick’s fault,” added T-Dog. “I had the key. I dropped it.”

 

“You couldn’t pick it up?” demanded Daryl.

 

“Well, I dropped it in a drain,” he admitted.

 

“If it’s supposed to make me feel better, it don’t,” declared Daryl.

 

“Well maybe this will,” mused T-Dog. “Look, I chained the door to the roof…So the geeks couldn’t get at him…With a padlock. It’s gotta count for something.”

 

“Hell with all y’all!” said Daryl savagely. “Just tell me where he is so I can go get him.”

 

“He’ll show you,” Lori assured him, glancing at Rick. “Isn’t that right?”

 

Rick nodded. “I’m going back.”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

“I’m coming with you,” I informed Daryl later as preparations were being made.

 

“That’s not a good idea,” he replied flatly.

 

“Neither is you losing your temper,” I pointed out. “It could get you killed.”

 

“Why do you care so much?” he demanded.

 

“Just drop the tough guy act,” I said, ignoring his question that I was not ready to answer yet. “You’re not in this alone, Daryl. Let me help you.”

 

The archer did not reply for a few moments before finally inclining his head in acquiescence.

 

I smiled. “Good. Now that that’s settled, let’s go get your brother back.”

 

**A/N: And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed! Also no posting about stories on other stories! Until next time, read review and show the love!!**


	2. A Daring Rescue Mission

Disclaimer: I do not own TWD. I do own Samantha.

 

**A/N: Welcome to the second chapter of my first ever TWD fanfic where our group will embark on their mission to save Daryl’s older brother Merle. So without further ado, I turn it over to Samantha. Enjoy!**

“So that’s it, huh?” demanded Shane as Rick emerged from his tent with his uniform on. “You’re just gonna walk off? Just to hell with everybody else?”

 

“I’m not saying to hell with anybody,” argued Rick. “Not you, Shane.”

 

“Lori least of all,” his friend continued snidely. “Tell her that.”

 

“She knows,” he assured him.

 

“Well, look, I…I don’t, okay?” admitted Shane. “So could you just…could you throw me a bone here, man? Could you just tell me why? Why would you risk your life for a douche bag like Merle Dixon?”

 

“Hey, choose your words more carefully,” Daryl advised him.

 

“No, I did. Douchebag’s what I meant,” replied Shane, turning to look at the archer. “Merle Dixon…The guy wouldn’t give you a glass of water if you were dying of thirst.”

 

“That’s enough, Shane,” I told him.

 

“She’s right,” the former deputy agreed. “What he would or wouldn’t do doesn’t interest me. I can’t let a man die of thirst…me. Thirst and exposure. We left him like an animal caught in a trap. That’s no way for anything to die, let alone a human being.”

 

“So you, Daryl, and Samantha, that’s your big plan?” inquired Lori.

 

Rick turned to stare meaningfully at Glenn who became visibly upset.

 

“Oh come on,” he groaned.

 

“You know the way. You’ve been there before,” Rick pointed out. “In and out, no problem. You said so yourself. It’s not fair of me to ask…I know that, but I’d feel a lot better with you along. I know she would too.”

 

“That’s just great,” muttered Shane. “Now you’re gonna risk four lives, huh?”

 

“Five,” corrected T-Dog.

 

Daryl huffed. “My day just gets better and better, don’t it?”

 

“You see anyone else here stepping up to save your brother’s cracker ass?” demanded T-Dog.

 

“Why you?” asked Daryl.

 

“You wouldn’t even begin to understand. You don’t speak my language,” he replied.

 

“We do need all the help we can get,” I reminded him causing the archer to look at me. “I know you don’t like this but it’s the only way we’re going to be able to save Merle so you’ll have to put up with it. We’re short on time as it is.”

 

Daryl sighed. “Fine.”

 

“That makes five,” declared Dale.

 

“It’s not just five,” argued Shane. “You’re putting every single one of us at risk. Just know that, Rick. Come on, you saw that Walker. It was here. It was in camp. They’re moving out of the cities. They come back; we need every able body we’ve got. We need ‘em here. We need ‘em to protect camp.”

 

“It seems to me what you really need here are more guns,” noted Rick.

 

“Right, the guns,” murmured Glenn.

 

“What guns?” I asked.

 

“Six shotguns, two high-powered rifles, over a dozen handguns. I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left,” Rick informed us. “I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed. It’s just sitting there on the street, waiting to be picked up.”

 

“Please tell me you had ammo in there too,” I inquired, not daring to hope too much.

 

Rick nodded. “700 rounds, assorted.”

 

“To hell with the guns,” said Lori savagely. “Shane is right. Merle Dixon? He’s not worth one of your lives, even with guns thrown in. Tell me. Make me understand.”

 

“I owe a debt to a man I met and his little boy,” he explained. “Lori, if they hadn’t taken me in, I’d have died. It’s because of them that I made it back to you at all. They said they’d follow me to Atlanta. They’ll walk into the same trap I did if I don’t warn them.”

 

“What’s stopping you?” asked his wife.

 

“The walkie-talkie, the one in the bag I dropped,” he replied. “He’s got the other one. Our plan was to connect when we got closer. I need that bag. Okay?”

 

“All right,” she surrendered.

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

“All set?” inquired Daryl as I hopped into the passenger seat next to him.

 

“Yep,” I confirmed as I stared out at the rest of our merry band. “Are Shane and Rick still arguing? We’re wasting daylight.”

 

“No kidding,” Daryl agreed, laying on the horn and yelling for them to get a move on.

 

I laughed. “You are not a subtle man.”

 

Daryl did not reply but I could have sworn I saw a hint of a smile as the rest of our team piled in and we were finally on our way to Atlanta.

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

Glenn told Daryl to stop the truck outside of the city limits. “We walk from here.”

 

“He’d better be okay,” murmured the archer as we got out and headed for the railway tracks.

 

“Knowing your brother, I’m sure he’s fine,” I reassured him.

 

Glenn led us to the department store where we found a female Walker. Her blonde hair was tangled and she wore a dirty dress that was slipping off her decaying shoulders.

 

“Damn. You are one ugly skank,” remarked Daryl, raising his crossbow and shooting it in the head causing it to crumple to the ground.

 

We made our way up to the roof and used bolt cutters to cut the padlock before shoving the door open to reveal…an empty roof. The handcuff was empty and beside it was what must have been Merle’s hand while Merle himself was nowhere to be seen.

 

“No! No!” shouted Daryl, collapsing to his knees.

 

“Daryl,” I murmured, bending down next to him and laying my hand on one of his trembling shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”

 

Daryl laid his hand on top of mine before abruptly dropping it. The archer then rose to his feet and aimed his crossbow at T-Dog. Rick in turn raised his python at Daryl.

 

“I won’t hesitate,” the former deputy told him. “I don’t care if every walker in the city hears it.”

 

“Then you’ll have to go through me first,” I informed him as I stepped in front of Daryl.

 

“You’re really willing to sacrifice your life for his?” inquired Rick.

 

“Would I be standing here if I wasn’t?” I pointed out.

 

“Savanna, enough,” said Daryl, lowering his weapon. “I won’t have you risk yourself for someone like me.”

 

I glanced at Rick who nodded and holstered his Python while Daryl asked T-Dog for a do rag which he used to pick up Merle’s already decaying severed hand.

 

“I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs,” he figured before dropping it in Glenn’s backpack. “He must have used a tourniquet…Maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn’t.”

 

The tracker then noticed a blood trail and we all followed it down a set of stairs while Daryl called out for his brother.

 

“We’re not alone here. Remember?” Rick reminded him.

 

“Screw that,” replied Daryl. “He could be bleeding out.”

 

We came upon a kitchen where a stove was lit and on top of it was Merle’s belt.

 

“What’s that burned stuff?” asked Daryl.

 

“Skin,” Rick told him. “He cauterized the stump.”

 

“Told you he was tough,” grunted Daryl. “No one can kill Merle but Merle.”

 

“Don’t take that on faith,” cautioned Rick. “He’s lost a lot of blood.”

 

“Yeah? Didn’t stop him from bustin’ out of this death trap,” said Daryl smugly as we discovered a smashed window.

 

“He left the building? Why the hell would he do that?” demanded Glenn, confused.

 

“Why wouldn’t he?” Daryl shot back. “He’s out there alone as far as he knows, doing what he’s gotta do. Surviving.”

 

“You call that surviving?” asked T-Dog. “Just wandering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?”

 

“No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks,” Daryl replied. “You couldn’t kill him. Ain’t so worried about some dead bastard.”

 

“What about 1,000 dead dumb bastards?” inquired Rick. “Different story?”

 

“Why don’t you take a tally? Do what you want. I’m gonna go get him,” Daryl declared as he started to leave but Rick held him back.

 

“Daryl, wait,” he urged.

 

“Get your hands off me!” ordered Daryl. “You can’t stop me.”

 

“I don’t blame you,” the former deputy assured him. “He’s family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel. He can’t get far with that injury. We could help you check a couple blocks around but only if we can keep a level head. Do you think you can do that? Not for me but for Samantha who is willing to give her life for yours.”

 

Daryl glanced at me before inclining his head. “I could do that.”

 

“Only if we get those guns first,” said T-Dog. “I’m not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

“You’re not doing this alone,” Rick told Glenn after he revealed his grand plan to retrieve the guns by himself.

 

“Even I think it’s a bad idea,” agreed Daryl. “And I don’t even like you much.”

 

“It’s a good idea, okay, if you just hear me out,” promised Glenn. “If we go out there in a group, we’re slow, drawing attention. If I’m alone, I can move fast.”

 

“I hate to say it, but he does have a point,” I murmured as Glenn drew a map of the street and marked the tank and the bag of guns.

 

“Look,” he commanded as we all gathered around. “That’s the tank, five blocks from where we are now. That’s the bag of guns. Here’s the alley I dragged you into when we first met. That’s where Daryl and I will go.”

 

“Why me?” inquired Daryl.

 

“Your crossbow is quieter than his gun,” he explained. “While Daryl waits here in the alley, I run up the street, grab the bag.”

 

“You got us elsewhere?” guessed Rick.

 

Glenn nodded before pointing down the street. “You, Samantha, and T-Dog, right. You’ll be in this alley here.”

 

Rick raised an eyebrow. “Two blocks away? Why?”

 

“I may not be able to come back the other way. Walkers might cut me off. If that happens, I won’t go back to Daryl. I’ll go forward instead, all the way around to that alley where you guys are,” he figured. “Whichever direction I go, I got you in both places to cover me. Afterwards, we’ll all meet back here.”

 

“Hey kid, what’d you do before all this?” asked Daryl.

 

“Deliver pizzas,” he replied. “Why?”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

“He’ll be alright,” Rick told me, reassuringly as we waited in the alley.

 

I was pacing back and forth but stopped to glance at him. “What?”

 

“Daryl, you’re worried about him right?” he reckoned.

 

“So what if I am?” I shot back defensively. “You just got here so don’t act like you know me.”

 

The former deputy raised his hands. “I’m sorry if I offended you. It’s just I thought you two were together. You were willing to take a bullet for him, after all.”

 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that and no, we’re not a couple but I am worried about him. As you have seen, he has quite a temper which often gets him into trouble.”

 

Rick laughed. “That’s for sure and yet with you he seems to…”

 

He broke off as we heard a cry for help coming from Daryl and Glenn’s alley. I glanced at Rick who nodded before heading over there to see what was going on.

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

“Come back here, you sumbitches!” Daryl yelled as we reached their alley. He was holding a Mexican man by the front of his shirt.

 

“Whoa whoa whoa. Stop it,” ordered Rick.

 

Daryl ignored him. “I’m gonna kick your nuts up in your throat.”

 

“Let me go,” the man begged.

 

“Chill out,” advised T-Dog.

 

“They took Glenn,” Daryl revealed, never taking his eyes off of the terrified man. “That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends. I’m gonna stomp your ass!”

 

Rick looked meaningfully at me.

 

I sighed and walked around Daryl so he could see me. “That’s enough, Daryl. Threatening this guy out of his wits isn’t going to help us get Glenn back so do us all a favor and calm down.”

 

Daryl stared at me for a moment before finally nodding and letting the guy go.

 

“Guys! Guys!” yelled T-Dog suddenly. “We’re cut off.”

 

“Get to the lab,” replied Rick calmly as he made for the bag and his hat. “Go.”

 

“He’s right,” I agreed. “Let’s go, Daryl.”

 

“Fine,” he muttered.

 

We headed back into the building with our new “friend” Miguel.

 

“Those men you were with,” began Rick. “We need to know where they went.”

 

“I ain’t telling you nothing,” replied Miguel.

 

“Jesus, man. What the hell happened out there?” T-Dog asked Daryl.

 

“I told you, this little turd and his douche bag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me,” the archer told him.

 

“You’re the one who jumped me, puto,” shot back Miguel. “Screaming about trying to find his brother like it’s my damn fault.”

 

“They took Glenn,” Daryl reminded us unnecessarily. “Could have taken Merle too.”

 

Miguel chuckled. “Merle? What kind of hick name is that? I wouldn’t name my dog Merle.”

 

Daryl went to kick Miguel but Rick held him back while I stood in front of him.

 

“Seriously, Daryl? Enough already,” I told him as I folded my arms against my chest.

 

Instead of listening to me, however, Daryl pulled Merle’s severed hand out of Glenn’s bag.

 

“Want to see what happened to the last guy who pissed me off?” he demanded as he waved his brother’s detached limb around causing Miguel to freak out and back away.

 

”Start with the feet this time,” Daryl continued thoughtfully.

 

I sighed and grabbed the limb out of Daryl’s hand while Rick tightened his hold on him.

 

“The men you were with took our friend,” said Rick. “All we want to do is talk to them; see if we can work something out.”

 

Miguel eventually agreed to lead us to his hideout.

 

“Ya up for this?” Daryl asked me as we reached our destination.

 

“Are you?” I shot back.

 

Daryl smirked before turning to Miguel. “One wrong move, you get an arrow in the ass. Just so you know.”

 

“G’s gonna take that arrow out of my ass and shove it up yours,” retorted Miguel. “Just so you know.”

 

“G?” I repeated.

 

“Guillermo. He’s the man here,” he informed me.

 

“Okay then. Let’s go see Guillermo,” replied Rick.

 

**A/N: And there you have it! The second chapter of my first full-length TWD ff ever! Until next time, read review and share the love!!**


	3. Aggressive Negotiations

Disclaimer: I do not own TWD. I do own Samantha.

 

**A/N: Welcome to the THIRD chapter of _An Insane World_ as our group attempts to negotiate for Glenn with the leader of Vatos, Guillermo, who wants the guns Rick had dropped. So without further ado, I turn it over to Samantha. Enjoy!**

We walked into Miguel’s hideout where we were met by a Hispanic man with dark hair and eyes who had to be Guillermo.

 

“You okay, little man?” he asked Miguel.

 

“They’re gonna cut off my feet, carnal,” Miguel told him.

 

Guillermo glanced at Rick. “Cops do that?”

 

Miguel shook his head and gestured at Daryl who was holding his arms behind his back. “Not him. This redneck puto here. He cut off some dude’s hand, man. He showed it to me.”

 

“Shut up,” ordered Daryl as another one of Guillermo’s men suddenly appeared and pointed a gun at him.

 

“Hey, that’s that Vatos right there, homes,” he revealed. “He shot me in the ass with an arrow. What’s up, homes, huh?”

 

“Chill, ese, chill,” urged Guillermo, turning his attention back to Rick. “This true? He wants Miguelito’s feet? That’s pretty sick, man.”

 

“We were hoping for a calm discussion,” the former sheriff deputy replied.

 

“That hillbilly jumps Felipe’s little cousin, beats on him, threatens to cut off his feet, Felipe gets an arrow in the ass and you want a calm discussion?” demanded Guillermo. “You fascinate me.”

 

“Heat of the moment,” responded Rick. “Mistakes were made on both sides.”

 

“What’s that dude to you anyway?” inquired Guillermo. “You don’t look related.”

 

“He’s one of our group, more or less,” Rick explained. “I’m sure you have a few like him.”

 

“You got my brother in there?” asked Daryl suddenly.

 

“Sorry, we’re fresh out of white boys,” answered Guillermo. “But I’ve got Asian. You interested?”

 

“I have one of yours, you have one of mine,” noted Rick. “Sounds like an even trade.”

 

“Don’t sound even to me,” argued Guillermo.

 

“Come on, man,” begged Miguel.

 

“My people got attacked. Where’s the compensation for their pain and suffering?” demanded Guillermo. “More to the point, where’s my bag of guns?”

 

“‘Guns’?” repeated Rick.

 

“The bag Miguel saw in the street,” Guillermo clarified. “The bag Felipe and Jorge were going back to get. That bag of guns.”

 

“You’re mistaken,” Rick told him.

 

“I don’t think so,” said Guillermo.

 

“About it being yours,” explained Rick. “It’s my bag of guns.”

 

“The bag was in the street. Anybody could come around and say it was theirs,” he pointed out. “I’m supposed to take your word? What’s to stop my people from unloading on you right here and now and I take what’s mine?”

 

“You could do that. Or not,” replied Rick as he indicated to the wall where T-Dog had a sniper rifle aimed at Guillermo.

 

Guillermo summoned two of his men holding Glenn. “I see two options. You come back with Miguel and my bag of guns, everybody walks. Or you come back locked and loaded; we’ll see which side spills more blood.”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

“Them guns are worth more than gold,” said Daryl as he watched Rick unzip his bag of guns and divide them. “Gold won’t protect your family or put food on the table. You’re gonna give that up for that kid?”

 

“If I knew we’d get Glenn back, I might agree,” began T-Dog. “But you think that Vatos across the way is just gonna hand him over? Question is, do you trust that man’s word?”

 

“No, question is what are you willing to bet on it?” inquired Daryl. “Could be more than them guns. Could be your life. Glenn worth that to you?”

 

“What life I have I owe to him,” the former sheriff deputy informed us. “I was nobody to Glenn, just some idiot stuck in a tank. He could have walked away, but he didn’t. Neither will I.”

 

“Rick’s right,” I piped in causing the three men to look at me. “We may not have known each other before all of this started but we do now. We’re part of the same group, the same family, which means we’re all in this together. I’ll help you get Glenn back.”

 

Rick stared at me for a few more moments then nodded while Daryl muttered something unintelligible. In the end the four of us led Miguel back to his hideout with his hands tied behind his back.

 

“I see my guns but they’re not all in the bag,” noted Guillermo.

 

“That’s because they’re not yours,” Rick reminded him. “I thought I mentioned that.”

 

“Let’s just shoot these fools right now, ese. Alright?” muttered Felipe. “Unload on their asses.”

 

“I don’t think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation,” said Guillermo.

 

“No, I’m pretty clear,” Rick assured him as he cut Miguel free. “You have your man. I want mine.”

 

“I’m gonna chop up your boy. I’m gonna feed him to my dogs,” Guillermo declared. “They’re the evilest, nastiest man-eating bitches you ever saw. I picked them up from Satan at a yard sale. I told you how it has to be. Are you woefully deaf?”

 

“No, my hearing’s fine. You said come lock and loaded,” said Rick as we cocked our guns and he pointed his pistol at Guillermo. “Okay then, we’re here.”

 

Suddenly an old woman came running out yelling for Felipe.

 

“Abuela, go back with the others,” urged Felipe.

 

“Get that old lady out of the line of fire!” shouted Daryl.

 

“Abuela, listen to your mijo, okay?” suggested Guillermo. “This is not the place for you right now.”

 

“Mr. Gilbert is having trouble breathing,” the old woman told them. “He needs his asthma stuff. Carlitos didn’t find it. He needs his medicine.”

 

“Felipe, go take care of it, okay?” said Guillermo. “And take your grandmother with you.”

 

“Who are these people?” she demanded, staring at us for the first time. “Don’t you take him. Felipe’s a good boy. He has his troubles but he pulls himself together. We need him here.”

 

“Ma’am, I’m not here to arrest your grandson,” Rick assured her. “He’s…helping us find a missing person. Fella named Glenn.”

 

“The Asian boy?” replied Abuela. “He’s with Mr. Gilbert. Come, I’ll show you.”

 

She took Rick’s hand and led us to a nursing home where a lot of sick and elderly patients were staying. That’s when I realized Guillermo wasn’t some thug but a man protecting people who couldn’t protect themselves. Abuela took us into the gymnasium to the man who was having an asthma attack and was being helped by Glenn.

 

“What the hell is this?” Rick asked Glenn.

 

“An asthma attack,” Glenn told him. “Couldn’t get his breath all of a sudden.”

 

“I thought you were being eaten by dogs, man,” murmured T-Dog.

 

“I’m thinking those dogs’ barks are worse than their bites,” I replied, nodding at a bunch of little Chihuahuas behind me before turning to Glenn. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

 

Rick looked at Guillermo. “Could I have a word with you? You’re the dumbest son of a bitch I ever met. We walked in there ready to kill every last one of you.”

 

“Well, I’m glad it didn’t go down that way,” replied Guillermo.

 

“You can thank Felipe’s Abuela for that,” I noted as Felipe gave the old man his medicine. “If we had, the blood would have been on our hands.”

 

“Mine too,” agreed Guillermo. “We’d have fought back. Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had to. Protect the food, the medicine…what’s left of it. These people, the old ones…the staff took off, just left ‘em here to die. Me and Felipe were the only ones who stayed.”

 

“What are you?” inquired Rick. “Doctors?”

 

“Felipe’s a nurse…a special care provider. Me, I’m the custodian,” Guillermo informed us.

 

“What about the rest of your crew?” demanded Rick.

 

“The Vatos trickle in to check on their parents, their grandparents,” he explained. “They see how things are and most decide to stay. It’s a good thing too. We need the muscle. The people we’ve encountered since things fell apart, the worst kind…plunderers, the kind that take by force.”

 

“That’s not who we are,” Rick assured him.

 

“How was I to know? My people got attacked and you show up with Miguel hostage,” Guillermo pointed out.

 

“Guess the world changed,” mused T-Dog.

 

“No.” argued Guillermo. “It’s the same as it ever was. The weak get taken. So we do what we can here. The Vatos work on those cars, talk about getting the old people out of the city. But most can’t even get to the bathrooms by themselves, still, it keeps the crew busy, and that’s worth something. So we barred all the windows, welded all the doors shut except for one entrance. The Vatos, they go out, scavenge what they can to keep us going. We watch the perimeter night and day and we wait. The people here, they all look to me now. I don’t even know why.”

 

“Because they know you’re a good man,” I said, glancing meaningfully at Rick. “And because they need someone to take care of them.”

 

Rick nodded and I handed Guillermo the shotgun I was holding. We then split the guns evenly between our groups. We then left with Glenn and headed back to camp.

 

“Admit it, you only came back to Atlanta for the hat,” teased Glenn as Rick donned his sheriff deputy hat.

 

Rick smiled. “Don’t tell anybody.”

 

“You’ve given away half our guns and ammo,” muttered Daryl.

 

“Not nearly half,” replied Rick.

 

“For what?” demanded Daryl. “Bunch of old farts who are gonna die off momentarily anyhow?”

 

“How can you be so heartless?!” I shot back. “Those people needed help. They didn’t ask for this to happen to them. None of us did. I thought you were better than that, Daryl.”

 

Daryl grumbled something and looked away as we reached the spot where we had left the truck but it was gone. “Where the hell’s our van?”

 

“We left it right there,” said Glenn unnecessarily. “Who would take it?”

 

“Merle,” answered Rick.

 

“He’s gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp,” declared Daryl.

 

“Oh God,” I whispered.

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

It was dark by the time we were close to reaching camp and heard the gunshots causing us to run faster. We arrived in time to see Walkers had found their way into camp. We killed the ones that were still standing but found out we had been too late to save everyone as Andrea sobbed over her dead sister Amy’s body.

 

The next day we started to clean up, burning the walker bodies and burying the dead from our group which included Carol’s abusive husband Ed who had been killed by walkers in their tent. Thankfully Carol and her daughter were unharmed. Meanwhile Andrea kept a vigil over Amy’s body, refusing to let any of us touch her.

 

“Y’all can’t be serious,” demanded Daryl. “Let that girl hamstring us? The dead girl’s a time bomb.”

 

“What do you suggest?” asked Rick.

 

“Take the shot,” Daryl replied as if it was that simple. He raised his crossbow and aimed it at Amy. “Clean, in the brain from here. Hell, I can hit a turkey in the eyes from this distance.”

  

I stood in front of him, blocking his shot. “Leave her alone, Daryl. Can’t you see she’s mourning? She’ll end this when it’s time so for God’s sake, let her be.”

 

We stared each other down before he lowered his weapon and walked away. “You reap what you sow.”

 

“What is wrong with him?” I wondered aloud, crossing my arms against my chest. “He acts like he doesn’t care but I’ve seen him go out of his way to comfort someone.”

 

“I don’t know,” admitted Rick. “Maybe something happened to him in his past. From what I gathered about Merle, I’m betting Daryl didn’t have the easiest childhood.”

 

“I know this is horrible of me to say especially after I just chastised him about respecting Andrea’s love for her sister but there’s a part of me that hopes Merle never returns,” I admitted. “Then maybe the better part of Daryl can come out and stay out more often.”

 

“One thing’s for sure,” said Rick.

 

“What’s that?” I inquired staring at him.

 

The former sheriff deputy smiled. “He’s damn lucky to have you to show him the way.”

 

**A/N: And there you have it! This chapter, along with the next one, are in dedication of the premiere of season nine as well as Rick’s final episodes (Love you Andy Lincoln!) Until next time, read review and show the love!!**


	4. How We Live

Disclaimer: I do not own TWD. I do own Samantha.

 

**A/N: Welcome to the FOURTH chapter of An Insane World where our group looks to the CDC in hopes that they have discovered a cure to the zombie apocalypse while Samantha continues to strive to bring out more of the kinder part of Daryl’s personality that we all love. So without further ado, I turn it over to my redheaded, fiery survivor. Enjoy!**

“I’m sorry about Ed,” I said to Carol as we sat apart from the men who continued to clean up the mess from last night.

 

“Thank you,” Carol murmured as she watched Sophia talk to Carl. “I knew what he was more than anyone else and yet I still feel a little sad.”

 

“If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask,” I told her.

 

She smiled at me. “You have a good heart, Samantha. You go out of your way to help others, making them feel they can be better than they are.”

 

“Sometimes I’m not so sure,” I admitted, glancing at Daryl.

 

“You two quarreling?” Carol guessed.

 

“He’s so damn stubborn and seems to constantly want to play the role of the asshole when I’ve seen him be kind and compassionate,” I muttered, shaking my head. “He drives me crazy.”

 

“Give him some time. He’ll come around,” she assured me. “You just have to show him that there’s a better way to live than the one he knew before all of this happened.”

 

“That’s what Rick said,” I replied, lying back on my hands. “I just hope you’re both right.”

 

“We are, you’ll see,” Carol promised as there was a sudden commotion. “What’s going on?”

 

“Don’t know,” I responded, standing up and walking over to the rest of our group who were surrounding Jim. “What’s happening, guys?”

 

“A walker bit Jim,” Jacqui informed me as Jim repeatedly attempted to reassure us he was fine.

 

“Show it to us,” commanded Daryl while Shane tried to coax the frightened man to no avail. “Grab him.”

 

Jim picked up a shovel.

 

“Jim, put it down,” said Shane. “Put it down.”

 

T-Dog caught Jim from behind and held him. Daryl lifted Jim’s shirt to reveal a deep wound which was clearly a Walker bite.

 

“I’m okay,” whimpered Jim. “I’m okay. I’m okay.”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

Later that day we gathered together to discuss what to do about Jim.

 

“I say we put a pickaxe in his head and the dead girl’s and be done with it,” opined Daryl.

 

“Is that what you’d want if it were you?” demanded Shane.

 

“Yeah, and I’d thank you while you did it,” replied Daryl.

 

“What if it was Merle or Samantha?” he shot back. “Would you be so gung-ho then?”

 

Daryl glanced at me for a few moments but was spared from having to answer as Dale spoke up.

 

“I hate to say it,” began the old man. “I never thought I would…but maybe Daryl’s right.”

 

“Jim’s not a monster, Dale,” said Rick. “Or some rabid dog. He’s a sick man. A sick man. We start down that road, where do we draw the line?”

 

“The line’s pretty clear,” grunted Daryl. “Zero tolerance for walkers, or them to be.”

 

“What if we can get him help?” argued Rick. “I heard the CDC was working on a cure.”

 

“I heard that too. Heard a lot of things before the world went to hell,” muttered Shane.

 

“What if the CDC is still up and running?” the former sheriff deputy persisted.

 

“Man, that is a stretch right there,” replied Shane.

 

“Why? If there’s any government left, any structure at all, they’d protect the CDC at all costs, wouldn’t they?” pointed out Rick. “I think it’s our best shot. Shelter, protection…”

 

“Okay, Rick, you want those things, all right?” said Shane. “I do too, okay? Now if they do exist, they’re at the army base. Fort Benning.”

 

“That’s 100 miles in the opposite direction,” murmured Lori.

 

“That’s right,” nodded Shane. “But it’s away from the hot zone. Now listen to me. If that place is operational, it’ll be heavily armed. We’d be safe there.”

 

“The military were on the front lines of this thing,” Rick reminded us. “They got overrun. We’ve all seen that. The CDC is our best choice and Jim’s only chance.”

 

“You go looking for aspirin, do what you need to do. Someone needs to have some balls to take care of this damn problem!” declared Daryl as he went for Jim with a pickaxe.

 

“Daryl, don’t!” I yelled, moving in between them as Rick pointed his gun at the archer.

 

“We don’t kill the living,” the former sheriff deputy told him.

 

“That’s funny coming from a man who has a gun pointed at my head,” retorted Daryl.

 

“Daryl, enough,” I told him as I tried to get him to look at me but the archer merely put the pickaxe down and walked away.

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

Later when everyone was making their preparations, I went down to the water where we had washed the clothes and stared at my reflection. I hardly recognized the woman who looked back at me. Her eyes had bags under them and her skin was taught making her seem frail and helpless. Her hair was tangled and dirty, covered in dried blood as were her hands.

 

I sighed and scrubbed my hands in the stream over and over again until my skin was pink and raw before hearing steps coming from behind me. I grabbed my blade and swung around to discover it was Daryl.

 

“Whoa, easy there,” the archer said, raising his hands up. “It’s just me.”

 

“What do you want, Daryl?” I asked, lowering the knife. “If it’s to be an ass then you might as well turn around because I’m not interested.”

 

“Yer a fiery one, ya know that?” he told me, shaking his head. “Look, I just wanna talk about what happened earlier.”

 

“Which part? The one where you were ready to kill a living man who isn’t ready to die or is it when you couldn’t answer Shane’s question about what you would do if it was me who had been bitten?” I inquired, rising to my feet. “Seriously, I don’t get you. One day you’re consoling me in the woods after I killed my first walker and the next you’re being callous about human lives and human emotions.”

 

“It’s not that I don’t care about how people feel,” argued Daryl.

 

I cocked a red eyebrow and crossed my arms against my chest. “Then what is it? Why are you so ready and willing to kill people who are bitten without a second thought?”

 

“Because it’s the most guaranteed way to keep us safe!” he replied. “If we give them the chance to become one of those dead bastards then we might be next and I don’t want that to happen.”

 

“When you say us,” I murmured, taken a little aback by the intensity of his response. “Do you mean the group or…”

 

Daryl sighed and took a couple of steps closer to me. He reached out a hand and caught a strand of my hair, twirling it almost thoughtfully. “I mean you and me. Look the reason why I didn’t answer Shane is because I want to do everything in my power to make sure you never get bit.”

 

I shivered at his touch and took a deep breath. “Daryl, what you’re talking about is surviving just for survival’s sake. We have to live which means being considerate towards others.”

 

“I get what yer saying,” he said. “But I wasn’t raised that way. All I was taught was to survive, plain and simple, regardless of the people around me and yet now, after finding you in those woods, I realized there is something worth more than saving my own hide.”

 

“Now you just need to feel that way towards the others,” I informed him, locking his eyes with mine. “After all, how much time do any of us have in this world really?”

 

“Alright, I’ll try,” Daryl conceded. He was so close I could feel his breath on my skin. “You’re relentless, you know that? Stubborn as hell too.”

 

I snorted. “Look who’s talking. You have got to be the most stubborn…”

 

The archer suddenly leaned forward and kissed me, cutting me off and erasing all coherent thought from my head as I found myself kissing him back. A cough caused us to break apart as we stared to see Rick looking at us.

 

“We’re ready to move out,” he told us.

 

“We’ll be right there,” I promised him. The former sheriff deputy raised an eyebrow but nodded and headed back to camp. I started to head after him before realizing Daryl wasn’t following me. I turned to face him with a smile on my lips. “You better hurry up or I’ll be the one driving this time, tough guy.”

 

Daryl smirked. “Keep dreaming, Savanna.”

 

Yeah, he was a hothead and clearly had a hard childhood but there was gentleness to Daryl he seemed to only show around me but hopefully with some time he’ll be more open and caring towards others too.

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

The journey to the CDC was long and full of hard goodbyes as Morales and his family decided to go their own way while Jim told us to leave him because it was already too late for him. Then when we finally reached the compound, we discovered it was surrounded by dead bodies.

 

“All right, everybody,” said Shane as we got out of our vehicles. “Keep moving. Go on. Stay quiet. Let’s go. Okay, keep moving. Stay together.”

 

“My God,” I breathed, staying close to Daryl as we reached the building which was locked and shuttered. “Now what?”

 

Shane pounded on the door but there was no answer.

 

“There’s nobody here,” said T-Dog.

 

“Then why are these shutters down?” inquired Rick as we were suddenly surrounded by Walkers.

 

“Walkers!” shouted Daryl, shooting one in the head before rounding on Rick. “You led us into a graveyard!”

 

“He made a call,” said Shane.

 

“It was the wrong damn call!” he replied.

 

They continued to bicker back and forth between themselves while I stared up at the security camera. “Guys, wait! The security camera…it moved.”

 

“You probably imagined it,” Shane told me.

 

I glared at him. “It moved, I swear.”

 

“Samantha, it’s dead. It’s an automated device,” Shane insisted. “It’s gears, okay? They’re just winding down. Now come on.”

 

I shook my head. “You’re not listening. It moved. There’s someone in there.”

 

“If Savanna said she saw it moved then it moved,” said Daryl. “She wouldn’t lie.”

 

Rick glanced at me and nodded before slamming on the shutters. “Please, we’re desperate. Please help us. We have women, children, no food, hardly any gas left.”

 

“Rick. There’s nobody here,” murmured Lori.

 

“Please, we have nowhere else to go,” I pleaded, staring up at the camera.

 

“Keep your eyes open,” Rick advised. “You’re killing us! You’re killing us! You’re killing us!”

 

Shane moved to pull Rick away as the door finally opened, drowning us in light.

 

“Daryl, you cover the back,” ordered Shane. “Watch those doors. Watch for walkers.”

 

“Hello?” I called as we heard the sound of a gun being cocked. We turned to see a blond middle-aged man with a gun trained on us.

 

“Anybody infected?” he demanded.

 

“One of our group was,” responded Rick. “He didn’t make it.”

 

“Why are you here?” the man asked. “What do you want?”

 

“A chance,” replied Rick.

 

“That’s asking an awful lot these days,” he noted.

 

“I know,” agreed Rick.

 

“You all submit to a blood test,” the man declared. “That’s the price of admission. You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed. Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here. I’m Dr. Edwin Jenner. Follow me.”

 

He led us into an elevator which sent us underground. “Vi, bring up the lights in the big room. Welcome to zone 5.”

 

“Where is everybody?” I inquired. “The other doctors, the staff?”

 

“I’m sorry,” apologized Dr. Jenner. “But it’s just me here. I’m all that’s left.”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

“I always hated needles,” I admitted, rubbing my arm ruefully as I sat down next to Daryl and enjoyed the luxuries the facility had since it was self-powered. I had gotten to take a hot shower and was now about to eat real food and drink wine. “I never thought I’d get to have any of this again.”

 

“There is something nice about having a meal with you,” agreed Daryl. “That and maybe I’ll get to see what kind of drunk you are.”

 

I rolled my eyes but smiled good-naturedly as I took a sip of wine. “Maybe you will.”

 

“It seems to me we haven’t thanked our host properly,” said Rick, raising his glass. “Thank you.”

 

We clinked our glasses together

 

“So when are you gonna tell us what happened here, doc?” demanded Shane as he glanced at Jenner. “All the…the other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?”

 

“We’re celebrating, Shane,” Rick reminded him. “Don’t need to do this now.”

 

“Whoa, wait a second,” replied Shane. “This is why we’re here, right? This was your move…Supposed to find all the answers. Instead we…We found him. Found one man, why?”

 

“Well, when things got bad, a lot of people just left,” Jenner informed us. “Went off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted.”

 

“All of them?” I murmured.

 

Jenner shook his head. “No, many couldn’t face walking out the door. They…opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time.”

 

“You didn’t leave,” noted Rick. “Why?”

 

“I just kept working. Hoping to do some good,” he said causing the mood to lighten once more. “Most of the facility is powered down including housing, so you’ll have to make do here. The couches are comfortable, but there are cots in storage if you like.”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

I woke up the next morning after having gotten the first full night of sleep I had had in months on one of the couches with Daryl lying on a cot on the floor next to me. I smiled down at him. “Morning, tough guy.”

 

“Morning, Savanna,” he murmured as we both sat up and went to join the others for breakfast to discover Shane was still being an asshole.

 

“Doctor, I don’t mean to slam you with questions first thing,” he was saying. “But we didn’t come here for the eggs.”

 

Jenner sighed and took us to a giant computer which he commanded to play TS-19. “Few people ever got a chance to see this. Very few.”

 

The monitor displayed a picture of what the doctor called an extraordinary brain. “Not that it matters in the end. Take us in for E.I.V.”

 

The machine took us inside the brain.

 

“What are those, lights?” inquired Rick.

 

“It’s a person’s life,” explained Jenner. “Experiences, memories. It’s everything. Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of light, is you…the thing that makes you unique and human. Those are synapses, electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says, does, or thinks from the moment of birth to moment of death.”

 

I suddenly started to feel ill. “So this person is dead?”

 

Jenner nodded. “This was test subject 19. Someone who was bitten and infected…and volunteered to have us record the process. Vi, scan forward to the first event. It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs then death. Everything you ever were or ever will be…gone.”

 

I glanced worriedly at Andrea who looked like she was about to throw up as Dr. Jenner moved on to the second event.

 

“The resurrection times vary wildly,” he told us. “We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours. In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute…seven seconds.”

 

“It restarts the brain?” I asked.

 

Jenner shook his head. “No, just the brain stem. Basically, it gets them up and moving.”

 

“But they’re not alive?” replied Rick.

 

“You tell me,” said Jenner. “It’s nothing like before. Most of that brain is dark. Dark, lifeless, dead. The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part…That doesn’t come back. The you part. Just a shell driven by mindless instinct. Vi, power down the main screen and the workstations.”

 

“You have no idea what it is, do you?” I realized.

 

“It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal,” he mused.

 

“Somebody must know something,” said Andrea. “Somebody somewhere.”

 

“There are others, right?” asked Carol. “Other facilities?”

 

“There may be some. People like me,” Jenner agreed.

 

“But you don’t know,” I murmured.

 

“Everything went down. Communications, directives…all of it,” said Jenner. “I’ve been in the dark for almost a month.”

 

“So it’s not just here,” figured Rick. “There’s nothing left anywhere? Nothing? That’s what you’re really saying, right?”

 

I paled before noticing a clock on the wall that was counting down. “Dr. Jenner, I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask you one more question but what happens when that clock hits zero?”

 

“The basement generators…they run out of fuel,” he informed us. “And then a facility-wide decontamination will occur.”

 

~ An Insane World ~

 

It wasn’t long before the building began to lose power and shut down but as we made to leave an alarm went off.

 

“Get your stuff and let’s go!” yelled Rick. “Go now! Go!”

 

We whirled to the doors but they were sealed shut.

 

“Did you just lock us in?” demanded Daryl.

 

“Don’t do this,” I begged him. “Let us out now!”

 

“That’s not something I control. The computers do,” he replied. “I told you once that front door closed, it wouldn’t open again. You heard me say that. It’s better this way.”

 

“What happens in 28 minutes?” asked Rick.

 

Apparently in a worst case scenario, the facility is programmed to decontaminate itself by deploying high-impulse thermobaric fuel-air explosives which consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition that will produce a blast wave of greater power and duration than any other known explosive except nuclear.

 

“It sets the air on fire. No pain,” he attempted to reassure us. “An end to sorrow, grief…regret. Everything.”

 

“Open the damn door!” ordered Daryl.

 

“You should’ve left well enough alone,” said Jenner. “It would’ve been so much easier.”

 

“Easier for who?” demanded Rick.

 

“You know what this does. You’ve seen it,” he reminded him. “Is that really what you want for your wife and son?”

 

“I don’t want this,” said Rick as the guys tried to break down the door but they couldn’t.

 

“Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher,” Jenner told them.

 

“Well, your head ain’t!” growled Daryl, aiming his bow at the doctor.

 

“Whoa, Daryl, stop!” I yelled, grabbing his arm as Rick stood in front of him. “If he dies, we all die! We all die, Daryl!”

 

“You do want this,” the doctor assured us. “There is no hope. There never was. Maybe it won’t be you, maybe not here, but somebody somewhere….what part of ‘everything is gone’, do you not understand? This is what takes us down. This is our extinction event.”

 

“You can’t just keep us here,” I said. “You’re not saving us. You’re taking our right to choose away from us. Clearly you don’t want to keep living in this world but we do.”

 

“I think you’re lying,” Rick told Jenner. “You’re lying about no hope. If that were true, you’d have bolted with the rest or taken the easy way out. You didn’t You chose the hard path. You stayed when the others ran. Why?”

 

“Not because I wanted to,” admitted Jenner. “To her. My wife. She begged me to keep going as long as I could. How could I say no? She was dying. It should’ve been me on that table. I wouldn’t have mattered to anybody. She was a loss to the world. Hell, she ran this place. I just worked here. She could’ve done something about this.”

 

“Your wife didn’t have a choice. You do,” Rick replied as the guys continued to try to break down the door. “That’s…that’s all we want…a choice, a chance. Let us keep trying as long as we can.”

 

At the last possible moment, Jenner agreed to open the doors and we got out of there. We ran for our vehicles as the facility blew up behind us taking the doctor and Jacqui who had decided to stay behind with it.

 

**A/N: And there you have it! We have reached the end of season 1! Next up season 2 and Herschel’s farm! As I said before, this chapter and the third are in honor of the premiere of season 9 and the beginning of Rick’s final episodes. Until next time, read review and show the love!**


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